Today
by bullet.sophia
Summary: Merlin, a baby. Sometimes he still couldn't believe.


James silently pushed open the door to his old room and breathed a sigh of relief. He just came back from an Order mission and as always, there was again this urgency he felt every time he came back home to his parents' manor; that after a quick kiss on the cheek for his mum and a pat on the back for his dad, his old room was where his feet always led him automatically.

He never had the heart to clean himself up every time too, even with just a simple spell. For James Potter, there were far more important things to do than flattening his always untidy hair or brushing off the dirt that covered his shirt—which he possible got this time by crawling in a small tunnel while in pursuit of a Death Eater.

Slowly, he walked inside the room. It was only lit by the desk lamp beside his bed, illuminating a yellowish glow and brightening, if even still possible, the red hair of this one person who had always been the sole reason he needed—wanted—to live.

Lily Evans, who had officially been a Potter since almost one a half years ago, was lying on his bed, her red hair sprawled on his pillow and her hand still on a book resting on top of her now very pregnant belly. She must've stayed late and waited for him, as she always did, even if he disapproved. James reminded her time and again that what she only needed to do was to take care of herself and of the baby.

Merlin, a_ baby_. Sometimes he still couldn't believe.

The news of her pregnancy came as a surprise—an utter shock, even. But James and much so, Lily, warmed up to the idea after what seemed to be a small two-minute debate of "whether to wait for the best time to raise a child or might as well get on with it already". It was possibly even topped off by a lingering kiss in the end, which neither of them could actually remember as there was just a sudden euphoria that they went on to tell everyone of the good news immediately. That said though, it still didn't stop James from being the _prat_ he always had been—in Lily's words, of course. Two months into the pregnancy and he forbade her to go into any missions (which of course ultimately became a row after he had announced it). He made her see light only when Alice Longbottom, another Order member who was pregnant like her, got into a nasty encounter during a raid.

Still slowly nearing his sleeping wife, James thought of how being away from her, even for just a couple of hours, had tormented him so. If only she knew of how much he just wanted to stay home and maybe even snuggle the whole day if he could...

He sat on her side of the bed, even with the little space it left him, and watched her breathe. It was good that she was here in his parents' house. Not only they needed the company, but apparently, this set-up was more than just any mere safety precaution he initially thought. _He knew that now._

James gently placed a hand on her stomach, just below where the book was. Lily budged slightly but continued to sleep. He smiled, still in awe of how lucky he had been to be with her; of how their childish taunts in Hogwarts transformed into something more; of how those insults developed into something that still took his breath away every time he remembers.

And yet, despite these powerful memories—his devotion and his confidence in his wife, James didn't know of how else to break _it_ to her, or if he even wanted her to know. Because by just looking at Lily's sleeping figure now, he didn't want anything or anyone to come too close, not when it involved her and their unborn child.

"James?" a curious voice suddenly asked, followed by a soft knock on the door. Whoever it was though, he didn't wait for anyone's response before continuing to enter the room. The floorboards creaked slightly.

James turned around and saw Sirius, who smiled almost grimly.

"Padfoot." He greeted.

Sirius was silent for a little while until he settled down on the chair opposite James.

"I've heard." He murmured.

James could only nod.

"What are you going to do?"

James brought a hand to his head to massage the pain and the exhaustion away. He exhaled and looked right at his best friend.

"What are _you_ going to do, if you were in my place?"

Even in the darkness of the room, James could still hint the grin Sirius only saved whenever the talk was all about mischief.

"I'd get him first."

"How?"

"Whatever it takes." Sirius shrugged. "I mean, won't _you_?"

James rested his arms on his knees and shook his head. "It's not going to be easy."

"Of course it won't, for Merlin's sake!"

"_Keep your voice down!_"

James glanced towards Lily who was, fortunately, still and surprisingly sleeping.

"Sorry." Sirius whispered.

"Never mind."

They were both silent, with James now back to watching his wife and of how he wished, so desperately, that all of these chaos could end long before his child was born; long before any prophecy rang true to his family's reality.

"I'm telling you," Siruis spoke once again. "That woman is a fraud."

"_Padfoot._"

"In Hog's Head, really? I could've picked a better place to meet. Puddifoot's really not that horrible if you look at it in the right angles. I mean, I brought Meadows down there before and..."

James appreciated his best friend's effort in easing down whatever tension—or fear—they were enduring at the moment. But no matter how much Sirius covered it up, not only was it in the right timing and all—with the war happening and Dumbledoor confirming all of it—there was only one thing flashing through his mind the moment he disapparated from the Order headquarters.

He was doomed. They—him and Lily, their baby even—were doomed. And he never felt so helpless in his life.

"I'm scared." James whispered.

He didn't know if Sirius was able to hear him but his chatter about his date with Dorcas Meadows ultimately stopped. He looked up to see Sirius watching him, and then of how he averted his eyes from him and glanced towards the still sleeping Lily, resting his gaze somewhat on that round, obvious, and very fragile body of hers where there lay the root cause of all their worry.

"It could not even be you, Prongs." Sirius whispered back after a while, his gaze back towards James.

What were their chances? James thought. The Order and the people fighting against _him_ were so little James knew they could fit in his parents' manor. Not everyone, he knew, with their small number, was willing to make the sacrifice just for _them_. They were just Lily and James. What were the whole world's problems compared to theirs?

"... or maybe," Sirius chuckled. "Lily will sneeze out the little tyke at Christmas. She always loved Christmas."

That emitted a laugh from him.

"Or possibly Halloween." James added.

"Right, and then we'd show up at St. Mungo's dressed as a couple of ghouls. She'd wallop your face in the delivery room, I expect." Sirius chuckled.

"_Was that necessary?_"

"Lily whacking your face is always necessary."

"It's also necessary that she whacks your face."

"I think it'd be very awkward for me to be in the room while she's giving birth, mate, seeing that her lady parts will be, well..."

"_Git._"

"You asked for it."

"So, I take it the mission went well?" a soft and hoarse voice suddenly asked. James looked back towards the bed to see a now stirring Lily, rubbing her eyes; her book carelessly falling on the floor with a loud thud. He reached to tuck in strands of her hair behind her ears and smiled.

"It could've been worse." said James.

"What are you two laughing about? _Sirius, are you making fun of me?_"

Sirius barked a laugh, now not even minimizing the noise he was making.

"Darling, I could never make fun of you. But _Prongsie_, on the other hand."

"Shut it, _Paddy_." James retaliated.

"_Boys._"

Sirius faked a huff and rolled his eyes. "Fine. It seems I am to be overruled anyhow. I'll leave the two of you alone."

Sirius stood up from the chair and gave Lily a quick peck on the forehead and then ruffled her hair after.

"Take care of this git for me, would you, Mrs. Potter? He's a handful, I must warn you."

"As always, of course." Lily responded and Sirius chuckled.

"Prongs." He then nodded towards James.

"Sirius." James replied.

"Just... well, I'll be in the kitchens. _Accio_ me for anything." Sirius gave him a pat on the back and another small smile, quite possibly to give him the encouragement and the reassurance that he needed.

With a final nod towards him and Lily, Sirius exited the room.

"He doesn't look too cheerful." Lily spoke.

"It was... a tiring day."

"Got all around London, have you?" Lily inquired, now trying to sit up on the bed.

"There was a bit of running here and there." replied James, helping her up.

"And?"

"And what?"

"What happened next, after the running?"

"There might be a few spells too."

"_James._"

"_Lils._"

"Are you sure there was nothing?" She pulled the sleeves of his sweater. "You know I can't take any surpr—"

"Love, there was nothing. No... deaths." James finally cleared. He immediately saw the relief on his wife's face—of how her shoulders relaxed and how easily she broke into a smile.

"Good." Lily leaned in closer to him and gave him a kiss. Even with the constant darkness all throughout his day, this was what he was just waiting for to make him realize it was all damn worth it.

"Thank you." James replied as they parted, closing his eyes and resting his forehead on hers. "I needed that."

She grasped his shoulders tightly and whispered, "What happened? Tell me. If only I could be there with you."

James moved away slightly as he shook his head. He opened his eyes to look straight into those green eyes. "Your presence in my room right at this moment is helpful enough, love."

"James..."

"You have always been more than enough."

Lily slumped back and frowned. "It's when you say those things that let me know I'm not going to get it out of you, can I?"

James sighed. "Maybe... not today. The night is just about to be perfect. Why don't we join Sirius downstairs for some treacle tart?"

Lily raised an eyebrow but nonetheless prepared to stand up—with James steadying her as she slipped on her bedroom slippers.

"You know," Lily started as they walked towards the door. James noticed how she was attempting to be playful now but there was still that determined look on her face he knew so well that told him he'd have to budge soon. "This is not going to be the last of it."

"It never does with you, Lily."

She frowned at him as he took her hand. But like a reflex, she held onto it tightly.

"For as long as all of our friends are safe." Lily reasoned. "I think I can be solved with that. For today."

James chuckled. "For today."

"So you'll tell me tomorrow then?"

"Never been the patient one, have you?"

"I've been patient with you for the past couple of years, _Potter._"

"So I guess there's no fuss in waiting?" James stopped as they reached the staircase, pulling Lily towards him. "After the baby's born, then?"

"Mmm." Lily yawned and nodded. "... and just because I am still sleepy."

James grinned; now gently pulling and helping her climb down.

"And just because you are still sleepy."


End file.
